Fireplace basket construction



June 7, 1960 l.. G. EMMoNs FIREPLACE BASKET CONSTRUCTION Filed rov. e, 195'? INVENTOR.

1,152 y .IH-lin@y United States Patent O FIREPLACE BASKET CONSTRUCTION Lehman G. Emmons, R.D. 5, near Alliance, Ohio Filed Nov. 6, 1957, Ser. No. 694,851

4'Clams. (Cl. 126-165) My invention relates to improvements of a fireplace basket of the grated type, and more specifically to means for controlling the draft to a fire in the basket. Furthermore, the present invention is an improvement over the fireplace basket construction disclosed in my copending patent application, Serial No. 633,146, now Patent No. 2,893,375, filed January 8, 1957.

The fireplace basket construction disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 633,146, now Patent No. 2,893,375, includes a basket having a grated bottom member and preferably grated side members extending up- Wardly from the bottom member, and with preferably four legs extending downwardly from the bottom member, one for each corner thereof for maintaining the bottomj member spaced from the floor ofa fireplace.

'The novel feature of this priorconstruction i's the provision of means connected to the front edge of the bottom ICC horizontally outwardly or is moved between its two covering positions.

5 found that, in order to provide a fireplace basket of the member pivotal preferably between three positions, one

in which the space between the front edge of the bottom one in which neither of these spaces are closed off, While in every case the spaces between .the sides of the bottom member and the floor of the fireplace remain substantially 'open at all times.

The purpose of providing such means is so a fire has been started in the fireplace basket and has begun to burn sufficiently, the space at the front of the basketbeneath the front edge ofthe bottom member may be substantially closed off, thereby decreasing d-raft to the fire and causing it to burn more slowly.

Also, when the fire is first started, this means may be positioned closing the grated front side member above the front edge of the basket bottom member, permitting afull draft for the fire between the front edge of the bottom member and the floor of the fireplace while at the same time preventing smoke from passing through the grated front side member and out through the front opening of the fireplace.

lThe means which I have heretofore employed for accomplishing the foregoing purpose has been a solid plate member pivotally connected at the front edge of the basket bottom member. Thus when it is desired to have the space between the front edge of the bottom member and the floor of the fireplace open as well as the space through the grated front member-'above the front edge Vof the bottom member open, and for moving the plate member between these positions, it is necessary that the plate extend substantially horizontally outwardly from -the front edge of the bottom member orv move through this position.

For this reason, the fireplace basket incorporating my prior construction must be positioned rearwardly from the front opening of the fireplace to permit this plate member to clear a fireplace screen positioned at the fireplace opening, or such a screen must be moved away from the fireplace openingrwhen 'the plate is either extending that after v desired size, this basket cannot be positioned spaced rearwardlyV from the fireplace opening sufficient for the plate member to be moved without having to move theV lireplace screen covering the fireplace opening.

Thus it has become desirable to provide a means for selectively closing the space between the front edge of the basket bottom member and the floor of the fireplace or forY closing the space through the grated front of the basket above the bottom member, and to have this means movable so that additional space at the front of the basket is not required to accomplish such movement. y

It has also been found that when certain types of Wood and other fuel are burned in the fireplace basket, it is undesirable to completely close off the draft beneath the frontedge of the bottom member and the floor of the fireplace, but to merely close this space partially off thereby providing a limited amount of draft beneath the basket bottom member at this point.

Thus Vit is also desirable to provide a fireplace basket construction having means which is selectively adjustable by increments between its position completely closing off this space between the front edge of the basket bottom member and the floor of the fireplace and its position in which it does not close off any portion of this opening.

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide a grated fireplace basket construction which satisfies the foregoing desires and needs.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a grated fireplace basket which has means formed thereon for selectively limiting the air passing beneath .the front edge ofthe basket bottom member while still permitting a free passage of air beneath the side edges of the basket bottom member. v

' Itis a further object of the present invention to provide a grated fireplace basket construction in which the means for selectively limiting the air passing beneath the front ,edge of the -basket bottom member is also movable to a position closing off the grated front side of the Vbasket to vlimit the amount of smoke passing out of the front opening of the fireplace when the fuel in the basket is first ignited.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a grated fireplace basket construction having the foregoing means but which means need not be moved outwardly away from the front of the fireplace basket when it is moved between its positions.

lt is an additional object of the present invention to provide a grated fireplace construction having the foregoing means constructed so that said means is movable to any desired position partially limiting the air passing beneath the front edge of the basket bottom member and partially .closing off the grated front end member of the basket.

Finally it is an object of the present invention to provide a fireplace basket construction which satisfies the foregoing objects, yet is efficient in operation and may be fabricated at a minimum of material and labor cost.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, arrangements, combinations and subcombinations comprising the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, a prefer-red ernbodiment of which-illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles-is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which is particularly and distinctly poiutedout and set forth in the appended claims forming a part hereof.

erably in given increments to any position at or between a position substantially completely closing off the space between the front edge of the basket bottom member and the oor of the fireplace and a position in which said space is completely open so that this space can be maintained open or closed to any desired degree.

Thus with the fireplace basket construction comprising the present invention, any given portion of the space between the front edge of the bottom member and the floor of the fireplace may be closed off, so that full draft or any degree of draft may be permitted through this space to the grated bottom member ofthe basket. In this way various types of fuel may be burned in a fireplace having this fireplace basket construction and the necessary draft may be supplied to such fuel for maintaining it burning properly while still not burning too rapidly.

By way of example, an embodiment of the improved grated fireplace basket construction of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying draw-ings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals indicate similar parts throughout t-he several views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a grated fireplace basket including the improvements of the present invention in a position substantially completely closing olf the space between the front edge of the bottommember and the oor of the replace, and with two other selected positions being shown in broken lines;

Fig. 2, a side elevation of the fireplace basket construction of Fig. 1; l Fig. 3, a top plan view of the fireplace basket construction of Fig. l;

Fig. 4, an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the 'direction of the arrows 4-4 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5, an enlarged fragmentary sectionalview, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 5-5 in Fig. 3.

The grated fireplace basket construction comprising the present invention includes a generallyv rectangular, horizontally extending grated bottom member 10 supported 4for beingV spaced from the bottom wall of a iireplace preferably by rear leg members 11 and 12 and front leg members 13 and 14, each of which are preferably positioned at one of the vfour corners of the bottom member 10 extending downwardly therefrom. Also, the construction preferably includes grated side members 15, 16, 17 and 18, all of which extend above Ithe bottom member 10 for confining a fire within the basket construction.

Thus, as is clearly shownin the drawings, the leg members 11, 12, 13 Yarid 14 project downwardly from the bottom member 10 to a common plane defined by the lower extremities of these leg members, and which plane would be the plane of the surface upon which the fireplace basket is resting. This, therefore, provides spaces between the front and side edges of bottom member 10 and the lower extremities of the leg members 11, 12, 13 and 14, since these leg members will support the bottom member above the plane surface defined by the lower extremities of the leg members.

As shown in the drawings, the bottom member 10, rear leg members 11 and 12 and side members 15, 16, 17 and 18 are preferably all formed of an integral casting, preferably from wrought or cast iron as is conventional in the forming of fireplace baskets. According to the principles of the present invention, however, the front leg members 13 and 14 are preferably formed of separate pieces extending downwardly in the usual manner for spacing the front edge 19 of the bottom member 10 from the floor of the fireplace, but with these leg members 13 and 14 lalso extending upwardly substantially to the top edge of the side members 15, 16 and 18 and being secured in -place by any conventional fastening means such as the bolts 20.

Further, according to the principles of the present invention, front leg members 13 and 14 are each formed with generally U-shaped slots 21 and 22, respectively, with slot 21 of leg member 13 opening laterally toward leg member 14 and slot '22 of leg member 14 opening laterally toward leg member 13. A generally vertically extending plate member is mounted with the side edges thereof received in slots 21 and 22 and extending between the front leg members 13 and 14, with plate member 23 preferably having a centrally located handle 24 and having Va lesser thickness than the width vof slots 21 and 22 so that plate member 23 is slidable along the total height of front leg members 13 and 14.

Thus plate member 23 is slidable between the extreme positions of substantially completely covering the opening between the front leg members 13 and 14 and the front edge 19 of the `bottom member 10 and the position adjacent and completely covering the front side member 15 yabove the front edge 19 of bottom member 10, thereby,

in this latter position, leaving the space between the leg members 13 and 14 completely open. rThe first of these positions is shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and the latter position is shown in broken lines.

It is pointed out that, for the purposes of the present invention, despite the position of the plate member 23, the spaces between front leg member 13 and rear leg member 11, and front leg member 14 and rear leg member 12, remain open at all times.

Thus the plate member 23 is movable slidably between a position completely closing the space beneath the front edge 19 ofthe bottom member andthe oor of a fireplace upon which the basket is sitting, or the position completely opening this space and closing the space above the front edge 19 of this bottom edge 10. According to the principles of the present invention, however, it is desirable to mount this plate 23 so that it also may be positioned at any point in between these two above described positions.

For accomplishing this, it is preferred to provide two rearwardly extending lug members 25 and 26 mounted at the lower edge of plate member 23 and extending within the leg member slots 21 and 22. In addition to lug members 25 and 26 the rear surfaces of slots 21 and 22 are preferably each provided with a series of spaced teeth 27 and 28, respectively, extending from the lower ends of leg membersv13 and 14 upwardly to the front edge 19 of bottom member 10 and extending forwardly into slots 21 and 22 so that these teeth are positioned vengageable by the lugs 25 and 26.

Thus, not only is the plate member 23 slidable the entire height of front leg members 13 and 14 between the extreme positions described above, but also the plate member may be positioned at any desired point in between these extreme positions by selectively engaging the lug members 25 and 26 with laterally aligned teeth 27 and 28, one of such intermediate positions being shown in broken lines n Fig. 1.

In the use of the fireplace basket construction comprisving the present invention, when a fire is first started, it is preferred to position the plate member 23 in its extreme upward position, as shown n broken lines in Fig. 1, in which position this plate member covers the front side member 15 extending upwardly from the front edge 19 of the bottom member 10 and leaving the space below this bottom member front edge completely open. In this position, as the re is started, smoke will be prevented from passing through the front side member 15 and out through the front opening of the fireplace in which the basket construct-ion is positioned, and also, full draft for the fire will'. befpermitted through the space between the4 front leg members 13V and 14 and between the front leg member 13 and rear` leg member 11 and front leg member 14 and Vrear leg member 12, so that suicient air is supplied to. the lire through the grated bottomvmember` Q n After the re has begun to burn sufliciently, depending on the particular fuel beingconsunied, itmay be desired to then move the plate member 23 to its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 1, in which position this plate member completely closes the opening between the front leg members 13 and 14, thereby permitting draft to the fire only at the sides of the basket construction between the front leg members and the rear leg members 11 and 12. With the plate member in this position, the tire will burn more slowly while still being provided with sutcient draft to remain burning through the openings at the sides between the front and rear leg members.

If, however, the fuel being consumed requires a greater draft to remain burning than is supplied merely through the openings formed at the sides of the basket construction between the front and rear leg members, the plate member 23 can be raised to any desired position partially opening the space beneath the front edge 19 of bottom member 10, merely by sliding this plate member up- Wardly in the slots 21 and 22 and engaging the lug members 25 and 26 with teeth 27 and 28 at the desired raised position. With such adjustment, therefore, any desired fuel may be used and will be retained properly burning with the proper adjustment of plate member 23, while the fuel will lstill be maintained burning at a diminished rate from that provided under full draft.

Thus broadly speaking, it can be said that, according to the principles of the present invention, va fireplace basket construction is provided -in which means is provided selectively movable between the extreme positions of substantially completely closing the space between the front edge of the bottom member and the iloor of the fireplace and a position completely opening thisspace, with this means also being selectively adjustable to virtually any position therebetween.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein, and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of the construction shown.

Having now described the invention, the construction, `operation and use of a preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful construction and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A grated fireplace basket having a front edge including a grated bottom member having front and side edges, leg means operably connected to the bottom member and having lower extremities projecting downwardly below said bottom member for supporting the bottom member front and side edges spaced above a plane surface providing spaces below the front and side edges of the bottom member and said leg means lower extremities, means supported at the front edge of the basket and being selectively movable between the extreme positions of substantially closing ofi the space below the front edge ofthe bottom member and substantially completely opening said space while closing ot a limited space above the bottom member 4front edges, said means also being selectively adjustable to any of aseries of intermediate positions between said extreme positions simultaneously closing oif selected portions of said spaces below and above the bottomv member front edge; and the spaces beneath the bottom member side edges remaining substantially open.

2. A grated fireplace basket having a front edge ineluding a -grated'bottom member having front and side edges, leg means operably connected to the bottom member and`haying lower extremities projecting downwardly below said'bottomV member for supporting the bottom member front and side edges spaced above a plane surface providing spaces below the front and side edges of the bottom member and said leg means lower extremities, plate means slidably supported at the front edge of the basket and being selectively slidable between the extreme positions of substantially closing off the space below the front edge of the bottom member and substantially completely opening said space while closing off a limited space above the bottom member front edge, selectively releasable means operably connected to the plate means releasably retaining the plate means in any of a seriesrof intermediate positions between said extreme positions simultaneously closing olf selected portions of said spaces below and above the bottom member front edge, and the spaces beneath the bottom member side edges remaining substantially open.

3. A grated fireplace basket having a front edge including a grated bottom member having front and side edges, leg means operably connected to the bottom member and having lower extremities projecting downwardly below said bottom member for supporting the bottom member front and side edges spaced above a plane surface providing spaces below the front and side edges of the bottom member and said leg means lower extremities, a plate member, means supported at the front edge of the basket slidably mounting the plate member selectively movable between the extreme positions of substantially closing olf the space below the front edge of the bottom member and substantially completely opening said space, the plate member closing otf a limited area above the bottom member front edge when in said extreme position substantially completely opening said space below the bottom member front edge, vertically spaced and extending teeth means mounted on one of said plate member and means slidably mounting the plate member, lug means mounted on the other of said plate member and means slidably mounting the plate member selectively engageable with the teeth means for mounting the plate member selectively adjustable to preselected intermediate positions between said extreme positions and simultaneously closing off selected portions of said space below the bottom member front edge and portions of said limited area above said front edge, yand the spaces beneath the bottom member side edges remaining substantially open.

4. A grated replace basket including a grated bottom member having front and side edges, front and rear legs having lower extremities, said legs being connected to and projecting downwardly below the bottom member for supporting the bottom member front and side edges spaced above a plane surface providing spaces below the front and side edges of the bottom member and said leg lower extremities, the front legs being positioned at the bottom member front edge and being laterally spaced and extending above the bottom member, each of said front legs having a groove formed therein extending from said lower extremities to above the bottom member and opening toward the other of said front legs, a plate member having side edges mounted with said side edges slidably received in said front leg grooves and being selectively slidable between the extreme positions of substantially closing olf the space below the front edge of the bottom member and substantially completely opening said space, the plate member closing olf a limited area above the bottom member front edge when in said extreme position member and extending therefrom for selective engage- 5 -ment with said teeth for releasablyl retaining the plate member in' selected intermediate positions 'betweensaid extreme positions andsimultaneously closing oiy selected Yportions of said space below the bottom member/front edge and portions of said limited area above said front 10 edge; and 'the spaces beneath ther1 bottom member side edges remaining substantially open.` *f i" References Cited in the of--this .Paten-t it l Y UNITED STATES P ATENTs Backus Y .lf r Dec; 6,V v1887 Watts Sept. 27, .1892 Green June 13, 1911 Lee Mar.y 10, 1931 

